A Path Through the Water

Moses still found it hard to believe that God had chosen him!

The people of Israel had been living in Egypt as slaves for hundreds of years. God had promised to send someone to set them free. They were so very happy when they realized that Moses was the one. God had chosen him to convince the Egyptian leader to set them free, and now they were finally on their way to the land that God had promised them as a new home.

As they left Egypt they were singing, dancing, and laughing because they were so happy to be free. "Yes," they thought, "Moses is a great man because God had chosen him to be our leader."

Moses wondered, "How can I ever lead so large a group as this?" But God provided for that too. He sent a large cloud to lead them when they traveled during the daytime, and a cloud filled with fire at night. When the cloud moved, they followed it, and when it stopped, they stopped and set up their tents.

After they had left Egypt the leader of the Egyptian people changed his mind and sent his army out to bring them back to work as slaves again.

When the people of Israel saw the army coming behind them, they began to cry out to Moses, "Why have you brought us out here to die? Now the Egyptian army will surely kill us for leaving Egypt." They couldn’t turn back because the army was behind them, and they couldn’t go forward because the large Red Sea was ahead of them.

Moses told the people, "Don't be afraid, but just watch and see what the Lord God will do. After today, you will never see the Egyptian army again!"

God said to Moses, "Why are you crying to me? Tell the people to go on ahead toward the Red Sea. I will take care of the army of the Egyptians." Then God moved the cloud with the fire behind the people of Israel, between them and the army of the Egyptians.

"Now," God said to Moses, "what is that you have in your hand?"

"Lord, that is the walking stick that I always carry, the same one I used when I was tending sheep."

"Stretch it out over the water of the Red Sea," God commanded. "The people will walk through the middle of the sea on dry ground."

Moses did just as God commanded and the wind started to blow. All night long the wind blew and the water of the Red Sea started to pile up on the left and on the right. By morning, the bottom of the sea was completely dry and the people walked through the middle of the sea, just as God said they would.

Just as the last of the people reached the other side, God removed the cloud and fire to let the army start chasing the people of Israel through the sea. But something was wrong! The wheels started to come off their chariots, and their horses wouldn’t run straight.

"Turn back!" the soldiers shouted. "God really is fighting for the people of Israel." But it was too late.

"Now," God told Moses, "once again lift your staff over the water." As Moses lifted his staff, the water closed in over the army, and every soldier and every horse was drowned. The people of Israel never saw the army again, just as Moses had told them!

God is so wonderful. If we obey him, he will save us from our enemies too. "Stand still and see what the Lord will do."

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Page updated 09/21/00.